Teeming with life of all forms, like a sort of built up, constructed reef, and we, the colourful fishes which swim in and out of its crevices, interacting with the landscape, with each other, with all things. Some of us will be predators, looking to take advantage of one another to fill our own bellies. Others will be mutualistic, trying to benefit each other. Whatever our purpose, whatever our perspective, the Urbanization of Trinidad is inevitable. As citizens of this country, which has as its cultural, economic, social, recreational center the Capital City, we must make a conscious effort to embrace the urban, to revel in its positives and to condemn and right its negatives.
Wherever we go in the urban city, we will see some example of different urban processes. Too often we afford them too little thought, caught up in our own business. Hopefully, with these blogs, you can get a sense of why the Urban is more than the skyscrapers, green spaces, slums and garbage. Hopefully you can see beyond these things to the undermining processes and activity which play a huge role in their conception. See buildings not just as this structure, but as an artist's canvas by which numerous expressions are made.
The somewhat gradual, almost slow pace of urbanization can pose a threat at times, in that the changes are not often stark enough to call for immediate analysis and rectification.Trinidadians have been described as inactive/passive, but this is not true, as we are a passionate and driven people. The problem however is that the voices of those negatively affected by urbanization are often ignored or disregarded. If we as citizens who might just be passing through and who would not therefore feel the full negative effects can now stop and analyze our urban environment, we can then lend our voices to the call for change.
The city is bigger than us. And we are bigger than the city. " I can feel the city breathin, Chest heavin, against the flesh of the evening"
Theory?
ReplyDeleteLove it still.